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Maddur vada
Onion and semolina fritters
ಮದ್ದೂರು ವಡೆ: crisp, flat onion and semolina vadas from the Bengaluru–Mysuru road
IndianMaddur is a small town halfway between Bengaluru and Mysuru, and for nearly a century travellers on that road have stopped at its railway station and highway stalls for one snack: Maddur vada. Unlike soaked-lentil vadas, these are made from rice flour, semolina and plain flour rubbed with hot oil and loaded with sliced onion, curry leaves and green chilli, then patted flat and fried until crunchy and golden all the way through. They keep their crunch for hours, so they are packed for long journeys. Serve with coconut chutney and filter coffee. Chef's tip: add the onions first and let them sit with the salt for ten minutes; their juice moistens the flours, so you need very little water and the vada stays crisp.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 onionsthinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz rice flour
- 1 ¾ oz fine semolina (rava)
- 1 ¾ oz plain flour (maida)
- 3 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh gingerfinely chopped
- 15 curry leaveschopped
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- 2 tbsp hot oil or melted ghee
- 2 tbsp water (optional)only if needed
For frying
- 3 ¼ cups sunflower oilfor deep frying
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Method
0/7 doneStep 2: Add 3 ½ oz rice flour, 1 ¾ oz fine semolina (rava), 1 ¾ oz plain flour (maida), 3 green chillies, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 15 curry leaves, 3 tbsp fresh coriander and ¼ tsp asafoetida. Pour over 2 tbsp hot oil or melted ghee (it should sizzle as it hits the flour) and rub everything together.
Step 3: Squeeze and press the mixture into a stiff dough using only the onion juice; add a little 2 tbsp water only if it won't hold together. Common mistake: making the dough soft and wet; it soaks up oil and the vadas turn chewy instead of crunchy.
Step 4: Heat 3 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a kadai over a medium heat to about 350°F; a pinch of dough should rise steadily with gentle bubbles.
6 minStep 5: Divide the dough into 12 pieces. On an oiled sheet of plastic or banana leaf, pat each into a thin round about 8 cm across and 5 mm thick, with ragged edges.
Step 6: Peel them off and slide 3–4 at a time into the oil. Fry on a medium heat for 5–6 minutes, turning a few times, until deep golden-brown and crisp right through; the bubbles around them will slow down when the moisture has gone.
18 minStep 7: Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot or warm with chutney. Cooled vadas stay crisp in an airtight tin for a day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does maddur vada take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of plain flour (maida)?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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